The economy has been growing for nearly two years since the Great Recession— but someone forgot to tell the American worker. Twenty five million Americans are still underemployed, out of work, working part time, or out of the workforce altogether. For perspective, that number is the same as the population of Texas. Something is broken. Has Washington given up on the unemployed? Or has the economy been fundamentally transformed under the pressures of globalization, technology, and a housing bust?

The Atlantic and McKinsey & Company brought together some of the top minds in business, government, and the world of ideas, each to answer the same question: What is the single best thing Washington can do to jumpstart job creation? Check back here each day through July 22 for more entries.